Theodorakis: Chamber Music

On this CD:

1. Sonatina for violin & piano No. 1 ("Crétoise"), AST 75
Composed by Mikis Theodorakis

2. Sonatina for violin & piano No. 2, AST 114
Composed by Mikis Theodorakis

3. Trio for violin, cello & piano, AST 41
Composed by Mikis Theodorakis

Tracks:

Romance
Pavane
Sunburst
Una Limosna Por el Amor de Dios
Asturias
Gymnopedie No. 3
El Condor Pasa
Verano Porteno
Scherzino Mexicano
Berceuse
Natalia
Dance from la Vida Breve
Planxty Madame Maxwell
Epitafios
Prelude from Lute Suite
I. Prelude from Suite for Lute (Guitar) No. 4 in E Major, BXV 1006a - From The Seville Concert
Sonata in E Major, K. 380 (L. 23) - From The Baroque Album
III. Allegro from Trio For Violin, Lute (Guitar) And Basso Continuo In C Major, RV 82 - From John Williams Plays Vivaldi Concertos
II. Adagio From Conceirto de Aranjuez For Guitar And Orchestra

Amazon.com

Guitarist John Williams (no, not John Williams the soundtrack composer) adds to his fine catalog of impeccable recordings with Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar. But this isn't just a best-of collection (though some of his greatest work is included here) since the disc contains three new recordings. Among the new tracks, Fauré's Pavane is a real stunner, a short but gorgeous piece originally meant for orchestra and choir, where Williams's guitar sounds as though it always belonged there. We get Williams at his most interpretative--his arrangements of Satie's Gymnopedie No. 3 and Piazzolla tango Verano porteno--and his most serene (the "Cavatina" theme from the movie Deer Hunter). Let's face it, some fine classical guitarists can lull their listeners into near comatose states with their instrument; Williams, on the other hand, is just the opposite. His gorgeous tone, inventive arrangements, and interesting repertoire continue to make the classical guitar sound exciting. In short, a great introduction to Williams and a real gem for lovers of classical guitar. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

The Aranjuez Adagio is Perfection.......2007-03-01

The second movement adagio of the Aranjuez concert is one of my favourite pieces, a very difficult one to get right. I've listened to well over a dozen variations, the one on this CD, track 19, is an absolute gem. Just by itself is reason enough to own this CD. The only other Aranjuez performance that's even worth mentioning in the same breath is Julian Bream's, track 2 of the CD titled just "Julian Bream", with the Monteverdi orchestra. Both are just stunning performances, as close to perfection as it gets. Julian's is a bit stronger on the guitar than the one here.

Classic.......2007-01-26

Excellent CD for those interested in classical music. All the tracks are great in sound quality!

Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar.......2007-01-20

Loved the songs....loved the guitar renditions. Would highly recommend!

The Best One Disc Compilation of the Man That's Out There!.......2006-04-19

If you had to call modern classical guitar by another name, it would be John Williams. A student of none other than the brilliant Andres Segovia himself, John has shown over the years to have learnt a great deal from the master and has himself developed simply impeccable technique.

As a guitarist myself who has been struggling all these years with "Cavatina", it always amazes me how effortlessly John makes the tune sound so simple and as if two guitarists are playing, one for the accompanyment and one for the melody and yet it's all him! Not only are the tracks representative of John's great talent but they also represent some of the most famous and challenging pieces to play.

Another great example of this is "Asturias(Leyenda) by Albeniz, a hauntingly beautiful and deceptively simple-sounding piece. We also get pieces that span the centuries from J.S. Bach and Vivaldi to Stanley Myers and York ending with the brilliant second movement of Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez".

Although the sound quality isn't brilliant as some tracks sound better mastered than others, overall this is a great one disc introduction to John Williams' work and comes highly recommended.

Excellent!!.......2006-03-06

This is a delightful compilation. The music flows effortlessly and leaves the listener wanting more.

Average customer rating:

Fabulous
Andre Rieu "Fiesta"
Fiesta
Not the best versions available
This is a great album!

Fiesta
André Rieu , Johann Strauss Orchestra , Georges Bizet , Gioachino Rossini , Mikis Theodorakis , Pascual Marquina , Vincent Youmans , Leo Ferré , E. Ramirez , Filippo Marchetti , Emmerich Kalman , Jacob Gade , P. Shott , Gerhard Winkler , Louis Louiguy , Glanzberg , Vincent Scotto , Luigi Denza , Scottish Traditional , Friedrich Schroder , and Anonymous
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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The Vienna I Love, Waltzes From My Heart
Andre Rieu in Concert
At The Movies
Roses from the South
Tuscany

ASIN: B000031WXB
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Clavelitos
Espana Cani
Cielito Lindo
Seventh Heaven Of Love
Carmen: Ov
Hava Nagila
Tea For Two
Moulin Rouge/Paris Canaille
Sirtaki (Zorba's Dance)
Fascination
The Gipsy Princess Medley: Love, Love, Love!/The Swallow Song/How Could I Know?/Love, Love, Love!
William Tell: Ov
Jalousie
The Canals Of Amsterdam
Let's Go To Varasdin
Chianti-Lied
La Vie En Rose/Padam Padam/Sous Les Ponts De Paris
Funiculi Funicula
Auld Lang Syne

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous.......2005-10-23

This DVD is spectacular. Andre Rieu is absolutely fascinating to listen to and the costumes of the orchestra as gorgeous. Well worth every penny.

Andre Rieu "Fiesta".......2005-09-20

This CD is absolutely fantastic. There is no musician quite like Andre Rieu. His music does indeed lift the spirit.

Fiesta.......2005-09-12

The music lifts my spirits! It is fun and lighthearted. I sincerely recommend this CD by Andre Rieu.

Not the best versions available.......2002-02-12

First of all, why call this recording
"Fiesta"? only for the first four latin-american
works? because the rest of the cd is of
German music.I you want a real "Fiesta"
disc, I recomendation is that disc
of Keith Lockhart, is much more fun and
much more in a fiesta spirit than this one.

This is a great album!.......2002-01-02

I highly recommend this album. Andre Rieu is a great violinist. If you buy this album you will not be dissappointed. I'd give it ten stars if I could.

Average customer rating:

"Dreams of a World": A Dialogue...
Dreams with raw emotions.
Still a dream ...
An Elegant Journey Around The World
Simply Superb

Dreams of a World

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Journey to the Amazon
Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur
Greatest Hits
Latin Romances for Guitar

ASIN: B00002DEUI
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

Virgillo
Cancion
Danza No. 1
Fantasia
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair
Darling Cora
Putney Hymn
Finale
Londonderry Air
Agua E Vinho
Romanza
Brisas Del Torbes
Canto Siboney
Preludio No. 6: Dolor
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Four Songs: Of Sting And Honey - Tomorrow - Jerusalem Of Gold - Spy Girl
One Day In May
You Have Set My Star
Varre Vento
Dedicatoria

Amazon.com

This disc is obviously aimed at the world-music audience, if one judges from its title and the subtitle, "Folk-Inspired Music for Guitar." But that shouldn't dissuade listeners interested in more serious music. Isbin has collected original pieces and arrangements from Spain, Latin America, Appalachia, Ireland, Israel, and Greece--all of them quite lovely. It's really amazing to hear, for example, the "Londonderry Air," better known as "Danny Boy," in such a sympathetic arrangement by the late Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. She plays with such technical mastery that you wind up taking it for granted, while appreciating her songful delivery of this highly varied program of music, which was mostly first intended for the human voice. The uncommonly attractive booklet, including photos of Isbin as a world traveler, is another asset to this fine program, as is Teldec's realistic recorded sound. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

"Dreams of a World": A Dialogue..........2005-03-28

I was introduced to Ms. Isbin's music this winter during a trip when a friend had "Dreams of a World" on for 3 days straight, dawn to dusk. Typically, after listening to the same CD twice, one gets bored or annoyed. Yet, this was not the case; on the contrary "Dreams of a World" warmed us up --it was delicately beautiful. Ms. Isbin employs an astonishing pallet of colors, which she blends with unprecedented technical mastery and imaginative nuances throughout her oeuvre.

Cancion y danza for guitar, Agua E Vinho Mahar and Yerushala'im shel zahav are pieces which can easily be overly sentimental and languorous. Ms. Isbin keeps a pleasant balance between the melancholy in her phrasing, the underlying dynamism of her voice
and the warm character of the pieces. I can only recommend Dreams of a World to anyone in search of high quality music played by an artist, not merely a technician.

Dreams with raw emotions. .......2005-01-24

This is one of my all time favorite CD. When critics call Sharon Isbin the "Monet of the guitar" or the "preeminent guitarist of our time" they only begin do justice to her mastery of the instrument. On this CD my favorite pieces are Agua E Vinho, Cancíon y danza for guitar, Recuerdos de la Alhambra. They are superbly played; they are flawless, passionate ,very moving. I cannot help feeling transcend when listening to Dreams of a World. Ms. Isbin does more than play nice music from all over the world; in this CD she shares her heartfelt dreams of a world.

I highly recommend Dreams of a World.

Still a dream ..........2004-12-26

This has long been my favorite classical guitar recording, and I just put it on again after hearing another recent favorite recording ("Reflections of Spain") played by David Russell, who is perhaps the most gifted contemporary guitarist on record. I was inspired to do so by Russell's performance of the "Cancion y Danza No. 1" by Antonio Ruiz-Pipo, which though quite excellent, I knew right away was quite different from Isbin's take on the same piece.

First, let me say, I hope that they are good friends, because they are both landmark musicians and worthy "competitors." Both clearly play with absolute love for both the music and the instrument. In short, I prefer Isbin's recording of the Pipo "Danza," even though, overall, Russell's playing is technically cleaner and more facile (but not by much). (Across his entire CD, I recall barely any string noise from Russell, where as Isbin manages a mere dozen or so clear such imperfections across her entire and ample CD; big deal).

I think the thing that draws me to Isbin in this piece (and her CD, in general) is her incredible variety of rhythm, attack, and tone color, all of which combine to give an impression of near perfect balance between spontaneity and precision. She has a way of taking time without the slightest sense of delay or heaviness. This is probably because her tempo never changes, only the rhythm around it, which is a classic hallmark of rhythmic mastery. This means that she hears and feels, both deeply and objectively, every moment of "sound and space" (notes and rest) from beginning to end, like an unbroken line painted across a master's canvas. Combined with this, she uses the space between her bridge and finger board to elicit the most amazing contrasts in tone color (one of the great contributions of Segovia to the art).

Russell plays with equal mastery of rhythm and attack, perhaps aided by the remarkable sonic depth built into his guitar. While he makes maximum use of that wonderful guitar sound, he is somewhat less dramatic in his changes of volume and tone color between phrases, aiming for a more consistent and lyrical quality, certainly another aim of mastery in itself, but there in lies the difference. Still, his sharp shaping of phrases, especially in his choice of Spanish music on his entire CD, with that impeccable technique behind it, weaves a spell all its own.

So, even though Russell's is among the finest pure Spanish musical CDs available, and one of my favorite in that genre (musical realm), I still have to give my nod to Isbin's multi-national effort for its unmatched ability to conjure, especially today, the most sublime dreams of a better world.

An Elegant Journey Around The World.......2004-07-09

From the moment I put this CD on my player to the time the CD ended, I was transfixed. This CD is such a delight to the ears, that it is difficult to put into words the emotions experienced while listening. I attended a NY Philharmonic performance several weeks ago with guest soloist Sharon Isbin. Her live performance was mesmerizing. She did an encore performance of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" which took my breath away. The NY Times reviewer called it a "...virtuoso encore...". How wonderful that this piece appears on Dreams of a World. A CD that will transport you around the world with the flavors of outstanding compositions interpreted by a musician who is one of the greatest living classical guitarists today. Do yourself a favor and experience the magic.

Simply Superb.......2004-07-07

You don't have to be a classical music expert to love this CD. It is accessible to both the novice as well as the sophisticated listener.

Tracks:

Epitafios 3
Epitafios 4
Epitafios 5
Koyunbaba Part 1
Koyunbaba Part 2
Koyunbaba Part 3
Koyunbaba Part 4
Gymnopedie
'Lamento Di Tristan'
'Ductia'
'Saltarello'
Aeolian Suite For Guitar: Aeolian Chant
Aeolian Suite For Guitar: Double Dance
Aeolian Suite For Guitar: Ballad
Aeolian Suite For Guitar: Toccato
Stele: Stele
Stele: Dervish
Stele: Bronze Apollo
Stele: Web
Gnossienne No 1
Gnossienne No 2
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Mallorca(Barcarola), Op. 202
Catari, Catari

Customer Reviews:

Williams guitar.......2007-01-22

I gave this album to my husband for Christmas because he loves Spanish guitar. He loved the album and has downloaded it to his Ipod. The music is wonderful and John Williams plays beautifully.

Williams Truly Inspires........2005-11-26

Out of my 11 John Williams CDs, this is probably my favorite. The moods he portrays through his guitar leave me daydreaming as he plays. Although many styles and periods are represented (giving the listener a wonderful array of Williams' abilities), tracks 4-7 are so intense and well-done they inspire and provoke new ideas and concepts I've never imagined.

I believe this album is his best work.

Guitar at its very best..........2005-04-08

Let me just say, tracks 4-7 are nearly worn out on my copy
of this CD. Koyunbaba as never played before, John lets it
start in dark shadowy moods, then rise and fall until the
almighty final movement which keeps me on the edge of my
seat. As the final notes ring through, I stare sadly down
at my guitar...

I Salonisti Play Music From Titanic, Casablanca, The Godfather, Schindler's List, Sense And Sensibility And More

Average customer rating:

Good CD;
Music to my ears ...
Familiar music with good performance

I Salonisti Play Music From Titanic, Casablanca, The Godfather, Schindler's List, Sense And Sensibility And More

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tangos Argentinos
And the Band Played On
The Last Dance: Music for a Vanishing Era (The Music Heard on the Fateful Voyage of the Titanic)
Chaplin (1992 Film)
Serenata / Salon Musik

ASIN: B00000JLNF
Release Date: 1999-07-13

Tracks:

Casablanca: 'As Time Goes By'
The Godfather: 'The Godfather Waltz'
Schindler's List: 'Theme'
Sense and Sensiblity: 'Weep You No More Sad Fountains'
Titanic: 'My Heart Will Go On'
A Man And A Woman: 'A Man And A Woman'
Breakfast At Tiffany's: 'Moon River'
Once Upon A Time In The West: 'Finale'
Black Orpheus: 'Manha de Carnaval'
Modern Times: 'Smile'
The Wizard Of Oz: 'Over The Rainbow'
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday: 'How Is The Weather In Paris?'
LA STRADA: 'La Strada'
The Blue Angel: 'Falling In Love Again'
Zorba The Greek: 'Zorba's Dance'
Titanic Medley: 'Never An Absolution' - 'Take Her To Sea, Mr. Murdoch' - 'Hymn To The Sea' 'Titanic'

Customer Reviews:

Good CD;.......2007-06-09

Excellent music & musiciansI Salonisti Play Music From Titanic, Casablanca, The Godfather, Schindler's List, Sense And Sensibility And More

Music to my ears ..........2007-03-12

This is one of the greatest instrumental talents I've heard in years. This cd has some of my all-time favorite movie tunes including 'Moon River', 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', and a very beautiful version of 'My Heart Will Go On'. This is the actual band that played in the 1997 movie Titanic and I'm truly thankful that they made this recording for everyone to enjoy. I'll cherish it for years to come. Thank you!

Familiar music with good performance.......1999-10-03

This CD contains many familiar music from films and the performance of the musicians is very good particularly track 16. I also find the music very relax and enjoyable and can bring the memory of those films if one has ever seen them.

Average customer rating:

Forerunner to Sky

The Essential Collection

Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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The Essential John Williams
The Ultimate Guitar Collection
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

ASIN: B0009S2GNM
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Tracks:

Romanza
Theme From Z
El Tuno
Dance Of The Living
Portrait
Lisa Larne
Wave
Feelings
Duet For Guitar And Koto
Dance Of The Emperor's Clouds
The River God
All At Sea Minor
Lorelei
JSB
Travelling
Horizon
Vacatina
A Derrin Dhu

Tracks:

Air On A G String
Because
Sarabande
Bach Changes
The Height Below
Raga Vilasakhani Todi
Nuages
Woodstock
If
Sans Souci
Cavatina
Dance Of The Dead
New Sun Rising
Pomegranite
Spanish Trip
Sambalaya
Good Morning Freedom
From The Top

Customer Reviews:

Forerunner to Sky.......2006-02-23

This CD is really a compilation of the 3 "experimental" albums John Williams did before his venture with the Prog Rock group Sky. So if you are a classical purist then you might not like this CD. Otherwise, it's a rare combination of songs from "Changes", "The Height Below", and "Travelling" - the 3 albums that eventually led to Sky. Also, a few songs from his work with Cleo Laine are thrown in.

The overall style of this CD is like a soundtrack (such as the music from "The Deer Hunter"). But it still features great guitar work as well (several from Bach). Williams' playing is clean and crisp - whether he is playing a straight classical piece or doing an accompanyment. You will see he is accomplished in both roles with this CD. Classical purists might consider this "light weight" but the rest of us call it accessable and interesting.

Average customer rating:

Gentle on the psyche

Transformations [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Estella: Kaori Muraji Self Best
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
Stardust
Dancing in the Dark (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)
Friday Night in San Francisco (Stereo SACD)

ASIN: B0007D09GU
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Hey Jude
Michelle
Here, There And Everywhere
Yesterday
Hiroshima To Lu Na No Shonen - Dominic Miller
Bad Boy - Dominic Miller
No.7: If Only I Had The Water Of Life
No.4: You Have Set, My Star!
No.3: A Day In May
No.6: At The Window
Variaciones Sobre El Carnaval De Venecia
Farewell To Stromness
I
II
III
IV
Over The Rainbow
Londonderry Air
The Last Waltz
La Belle Dame Sans Regrets - Dominic Miller
Fragile - Dominic Miller

Customer Reviews:

Gentle on the psyche.......2007-05-17

I keep this CD at work, and my office-mates request it more than any other CD on my desk. The amount of familiar tunes in this collection makes it accessible to everybody. Each piece is performed with grace; it will compliment the more esoteric guitar music in anyone's collection. Kaori Muraji lets each piece unfold like a soft summer night. This album is paced throughout so that it plays gently, and quietly maintains momentum. It makes for very enjoyable listening. Muraji can be a dynamic player. Live, she is very in the moment; typically you can see the music moving through her body and the mood of the music on her face. Always there is a serenity to her. You'll feel it on this CD as well. There are some beautiful treatments of Theodorakis and Takemitsu, but it was also nice to hear a pop tune like "The Last Waltz."
Even though my tastes tend towards more dramatic performances (works by The Assad Brothers or Yang Xue Fei), I've really enjoyed this collection. It would make a good gift item both for the serious guitarist (Muraji's technique and interpretations are impeccable) or the casual listener. Your mother would love to get this CD, especially if she's a guitarist. Show her you love her and give her a copy.

Elena Papandreou: Laureate Series Guitar

Average customer rating:

Great muscular playing, superbly recorded
nicely played folklor music

Elena Papandreou: Laureate Series Guitar
Nikos Mamangakis , Igor Stravinsky , Roland Dyens , Nikita Koshkin , Mikis Theodorakis , Vangelis Boudounis , and Elena Papandreou
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Laureate Series: Guitar
Martha Masters: Guitar Recital
Steve Kostelnik, Laureate, 1996 GFA Competition: Guitar Recital
Brouwer: Guitar Music, Vol. 2
Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Works For Guitar

ASIN: B000007N60
Release Date: 1998-05-26

Tracks:

Folk Dance Ste: Hassapiko
Folk Dance Ste: Zeimbekiko, No.1
Folk Dance Ste: Tsifeteteli
Folk Dance Ste: Zeimbekiko, No.2
Folk Dance Ste: Karsilamas
from The Soldier's Tale: The Soldier's March
from The Soldier's Tale: Music to Scene II
from The Soldier's Tale: Tango
Saudade No.3
Tango en Skai
Usher Waltz
Two Songs form 'Lyricotera': Dissolving Light
Two Songs form 'Lyricotera': Sob of Angels
Hroes (dedicated to E. Papandreou)
Eight Summaries: No.1 Lento
Eight Summaries: No.2 Largo-animato
Eight Summaries: No.3 Giocoso
Eight Summaries: No.4 Animato
Eight Summaries: No.5 Moderato
Eight Summaries: No.6 Agitato
Eight Summaries: No.7 Larghetto
Eight Summaries: No.8 Presto
Tsifteteli for Elena
Cocktail

Customer Reviews:

Great muscular playing, superbly recorded.......2001-12-24

This recording of unusual repertoire shows what the guitar is capable of. The Dyens & Koshkin pieces alone make this cd worth purchasing, & add the final two pieces for good measure...wow! Recording wise, it's one of the best solo guitar sounds I've heard.

nicely played folklor music.......2001-03-01

Papandreou has done a nice job in performing Greek popular music themes. However, she should try more in order to succeed in other styles of guitar repertoire and thus, convinces us that she is a multifaceted artist.

Average customer rating:

John Williams is not the best out there
Unequalled playing
Not as good as other JW CDs.
A masterpiece by the master
The Guitarist John Williams

Guitarist

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Grace Like A River - Christopher Parkening

ASIN: B00000C28V
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Tracks:

Epitafios 3
Epitafios 4
Epitafios 5
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Gymnopedie No. 3
'Lemento di Tristan'
'Ductia'
'Saltarello'
I Aeolian Chant
II Double Dance
III Ballad
IV Toccata
I Stele
II Dervish
III Bronze Apollo
IV Web
Gnossienne No. 1
Gnossiene No. 2

Amazon.com

Music both old and new, but all of it inspired by the timeless modal harmony of medieval and Mediterranean cultures: this is the subject of John Williams's brilliant guitar disc for Sony, which also features his debut as a composer. The main work is his own "Aeolian Suite" for guitar and chamber orchestra, based on both original and 14th-century tunes (one of which, the "Saltarello," appeared on early-music pioneer David Munrow's disc called Instruments of the Middle Ages). The suite is a lovely piece of writing, deftly composed, and neither tacky nor pretentious. It's paired with an inspired assortment of spiritually related but diverse arrangements and original pieces by Satie, Theodorakis, Domeniconi, and an emotionally intense four-movement work called "Stélé," by Australian composer Phillip Houghton. Naturally, Williams performs each piece expertly, but most important, he makes his instrument sing, and that's just what the music demands. Simply super. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

John Williams is not the best out there.......2005-11-21

For Koyunbaba specifically, the best recording is the album Libra Sonatine by Yoshiaki Kamata. Although Williams is clear and technically perfect, there is a lack of passion and emotion that other guitarists evoke.

Unequalled playing.......2003-11-02

You may have heard that the classical guitar can be thought of a small piano, but here's an album in which the musical conceptions are more the size of a symphony orchestra. Only John Williams could have carried this music off in this style, aided by excellent backing and superb recorded sound. An exhibition of pure guitar mastery, a very enjoyable CD.

Not as good as other JW CDs........2002-11-28

As a big fan of John Williams I must say that this CD is at the very bottom of other CDs done by him. As far as technicality, John is KING. But the CD has a very "down" effect, almost depressing. The choice of tracks starts great but it collapses shortly after, until Erik Satie's tracks.

A masterpiece by the master.......2002-04-27

The greatest tribute any artist can give to their instrument is to take it beyond where they found it. Mr. Williams has certaintly done this here. My personal favorites are the 'Three Epitafios' by Mikis Theodorakis, named after Pre Easter services in the Greek Orthodox Church. This is certainly a wonderful addition to the classical guitar repertoire by the esteemed Theodorakis. Composer Carlo Domeniconi,s 'Koyumbaba' is in perfect contrast to the Epitafios. With its haunting C sharp minor tuning this suite of pieces has an almost middle eastern oud quality. The 'Aeolian Suite' is Mr. William,s own composition for guitar and Orchestra and proves himself equal to the composers listed on this recording. As with his other recordings he transports the classical guitar to new avenues of technic and substance. Not allowing it to become stagnet or a monument to the Segovia legacy. In addition, the guitar that Greg Smallman made (which is used on this cd) sounds superb. This is another one of Mr. William's excellent performences.

The Guitarist John Williams.......2001-08-20

"The" Guitarist, John Williams. I rated this a 4 star only because I'm not that crazy about the Houghton compositions and the last set of Gymnopedies. But, John Boy, please compose for us another fine guitar work (with or without orchestra)! Aeolian Suite is mighty fine--the more I hear it, the more I like it. I first heard Koyunbaba performed by Christopher Parkening in a concert in 1996, but was I delighted to find out that Williams had recorded this mesmerizing work a few years later. I also really like the Epitafios. But as I said, I hope Williams composes another work for a future recording. By the way, happy 60th birthday, Mr. Williams. We look forward to another decade of fine music from you.